Tyronne Green was raised in northern Florida, played his college football at Auburn and has spent his first three NFL seasons in San Diego.

It seemed natural to him to travel here in February wearing a T-shirt and shorts. It was 20 degrees when he got off the plane.

He was confounded by the “brush thing” in his rental car only for a few hours.

Awaking to a foot of snow on his second day, it dawned on him when he got to the car and was wondering how to get the snow off the windows: “Oh, that’s what it’s for.”

He’s hydroplaned plenty and at least once slid almost off the road. A few days, he ventured outside solely to work out and refused to drive faster than 10 mph.

“I’ve never experienced that kind of cold and snow,” Green said on an unseasonably warm April day in this Cleveland suburb.

In fact, it had taken Green a few weeks to give in and give up his offseason.

Admittedly, he has an affinity for food and the couch, never more so than in the offseason.

“You can tend to loaf around when you get that free time,” Green said. “That’s kind of what I did every year.”

And, honestly, Cleveland?

“I debated it most of January,” he said. “… Go to Cleveland in winter? There’s not too many people jumping up and going to Cleveland, coming from Florida and California.”

But in early February, Green made the trek, checking into a motel next to a freeway where he’s lived ever since.

And so last week, I came to check in on this Rocky IV-esque commitment — Cleveland basically being America’s Siberia, where Rocky Balboa went to train for his showdown with Ivan Drago.

I wanted to see why Green did it and, moreover, why it matters, since he is penciled in as the replacement for one of the best left guards in the NFL.

It doesn’t take but a few seconds to see that what Green is doing here could be as significant to the Chargers offensive line as last month’s re-signing of center Nick Hardwick and left tackle Jared Gaither.

Green no longer has man, um, breasts. Strenuous workouts five or six days a week and a meal plan that has eliminated bread and ice cream and replaced lasagna and French fries with cabbage and chicken dissolved half his stomach. Where there was dough, there is now definition.

“I’m not going to lie,” Green said, smiling and beginning to primp. “I walk past the mirror, and I’m like ‘Looking good.’ ”

It’s startling. He weighs 318 pounds, seven pounds lighter than he was at season’s end and some 25 pounds lighter than when he arrived in training camp last July.

“Frankly, he was fat when he got here,” said LeCharles Bentley, the former Pro Bowl center who now runs the O-Line Academy here. “He was out of shape. He looked like crap. My emphasis was getting his body together so all his natural ability can shine.”

Norv Turner’s jaw will drop when he sees Green on April 23, the first day of organized offseason workouts at Chargers Park. Offensive line coach Hal Hunter will do a double-take for sure.

“I think it could be a little surprising when I get back,” Green said. “I talk to the coaches and it’s almost like a little skepticism. … I understand, because of what I’ve done over the past few years. I haven’t given them reason to think anything else. I’m a step way ahead of where I was last year. I can build on this up until the season. This is a great foundation.”

Green turned 26 last Friday and at one point that morning wondered aloud: “Where has the time gone?”

That’s comical to those of us who can hardly recall what 26 felt like. But in football years, well, it’s approaching middle-age and time to get going.

And the reality is that the Chargers lost Kris Dielman to premature retirement, leaving them in need of a starting left guard, and Green is in the final year of his contract.

This is the juncture where Green’s future will be decided.

At present, Green’s placement atop the depth chart is done with some trepidation.

Green has started 15 games over the past two seasons, including eight last year after Dielman suffered a concussion Oct. 23. When on top of his game, Green is a bona fide NFL starter. Inconsistency, though, has been his bane, and that is the Chargers’ concern as they decide how to move forward without Dielman.

It says here that the Chargers considering a guard in the first or second round of the draft would be misguided, based on an outdated observation. One look at Green this month should eliminate any reason to look at anyone else who plays his position.

The goal coming to work with Bentley, who trains about 20 NFL linemen in the offseason, was to get his weight down and learn how to keep it down and to show up in shape with the idea of showing the Chargers he was committed to being the best he could.

Green recalled struggling through the Chargers’ conditioning test last year and that the coaches were not pleased. Having to concentrate on shedding weight, struggling to get through workouts, detracts from learning the playbook, paying attention to technique, understanding of audibles and the intricacies of being an offensive lineman.

“This time last year, I was definitely out of shape,” Green said. “I’m a young guy. I take all the time. I always come back behind most other guys. I’m taking the initiative this year. … A lot of time when you’re tired you’re not fighting through it. Your technique gets worse. You revert to what’s comfortable. Going in in better shape, consistency builds. You’re going to develop the right technique. Now being in better shape, I can maintain longer and pay attention to detail.”

Bentley’s workouts are approximately 90 minutes. Rest periods are 30 seconds between intense exercises designed to specifically help offensive linemen, with an emphasis on being quick.

As Bentley watched Green do a hyperspeed hang clean with a little jump during the lift, he said: “It’s one thing to be strong. It’s totally different to be explosive.”

Bentley melds the needs for endurance and mental toughness into his torture as well.

About 10 minutes into a workout that had already soaked the participants in perspiration, Bentley loudly proclaimed, “Nice warm-up, fellas.”

Green and Dallas Cowboys guard Montrae Holland trudged outside, where Bentley steered his Ford F-250 to the middle of a parking lot and put the truck in neutral.

Over the next 20 minutes or so, Green and Holland took turns strapping on a harness and bear crawling 100 feet while pulling the truck, then pushing it back to the starting point. The third and final repetition, Bentley actually provided resistance at times.

Talking about the exercise later, Green said that halfway through each time pulling the truck, “It starts to feel like a ton.”

In fact, the truck weighs 2½ tons.

Green smiles when that is pointed out and says: “It’s mind over matter. … I’m coming with that mindset going into the season. That’s where my mind is at. That left guard spot is open. I’m working as hard as I can to take that spot. In my mind, it’s mine. I’m definitely trying to make strides to get past this new phase of my career.”

Bentley, who watches film with players, helping them to understand the importance of certain movements and exercises, is candid.

“Had Tyronne stayed on the path he’d been on, he probably would have disappointed a lot of people,” Bentley said. “A guy like Dielman is very difficult to replace. … That’s why you have guys like Tyronne on your roster. You hope one day the light comes on and he can be a player like Dielman. Had he stayed on the path he was on, it wouldn’t happen.

“For him, to go from where he was to where he’s at … it’s going to show in his performance.”